Tapping Private-Sector Expertise Will Improve U.S. Aviation Screening and Visitor Entry Experience
“America’s travel community is grateful to DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, Deputy DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, TSA Administrator John Pistole and CBP Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske for their leadership and foresight in creating this innovative program to leverage private-sector expertise and improve the U.S. aviation screening and visitor entry process,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “Travel is a key driver of U.S. job creation, economic vitality and export growth. Anything we can do to ease unnecessary barriers to travel will expand economic opportunity for American workers and their families.”
Travel adds more than $2 trillion to the U.S. economy, supports nearly 15 million – one out of 9 – American jobs and generates nearly $140 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue. Visitor spending creates jobs, economic opportunity and tax revenues in communities across the nation without burdening local government services.
The Loaned Executive Program announced this week by DHS implements a recommendation made in 2013 by the Aviation Security Advisory Committee's Passenger Advocacy Subcommittee, chaired by U.S. Travel, to use private-sector expertise to improve the travel process.
“U.S. Travel was an early advocate of leveraging the expertise of business organizations in the private sector. Our members, who represent the breadth and depth of America’s travel community, will continue to work with DHS on a daily basis to improve customer service, front-line management and the traveler experience,” concluded Dow.
The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry that generates $2.1 trillion in economic output and supports 14.9 million jobs. U.S. Travel's mission is to increase travel to and within the United States.